There is evidently a consensus between neocons and neolibs that the ‘prevention’ policy, Bush’s claim to be morally and legally able and willing to cross borders with unacknowledged military force, to prevent ‘rogue’ states or sub-state actors from doing whatever it is they supposedly do, is too good to discard.

Usama Bin Goldstein

Yeah, this so-called prevention policy is a prime example of America’s Orwellian nature and worldview. In practice, US “prevention” is just a euphemism for American aggression. The USA reserves the right to attack any country or any group that it deems as a “threat.”

The catch, however, is that America’s definition of “threat” is any country or group that opposes the global American Empire or refuses to kowtow to its dictates. Terrorism or WMDs or promoting Democracy are just propaganda pretexts.

Aggression is defined as legitimate self-defense in the mind of America.

After all, when you are the Benevolent Global Hegemon and self-proclaimed “Beacon of Liberty,” you can do whatever you want.

Andy

Only in the twisted minds of power-drunk Washington officials is resisting America’s dictates a “self-defense” justification for war. If America had a truly defensive “defense policy” it wouldn’t neeed 90% of the military it has now. I mean it’s not like an army of Canadians are going to lay siege to Fargo now is it? But defense cuts are anathema to the military-industrial-congressional complex. America will just continue blindly sticking its nose in the affairs of other countries around the world until something super-bad happens that will make 9/11 look like nothing in comparison. Sad. It’s ordinary Americans who are going to pay the price for this hubris.

richard vajs

Andy,
I think some “twisted minds of power-drunk Washington officials” are not so sure about Canada – the NY Times this morning has an article detailing the new US policy of monitoring the US-Canada border with Predator B drone aircraft. “You hosers better not try something funny, eh”

I see nothing in Obama’s moves, since he was elected, to make me think he will be any better than Bush on foreign policy. Whenever he wanders off his handler’s script, he seems to misspeak or blunder just like Bush.